The End of Us
by LadySirAslan
Summary: It's Ellie's birthday a few years after she and Joel arrived at Tommy's compound. This is how I imagined the end...


NOTE: This fic assumes that Joel is 52 by the end of TLoU and Ellie, 14. It takes place 6 years after the game ends, where they've been living in Tommy's ever growing community.

Laughter and cheers rang throughout the dinner hall. Ellie couldn't smile more even if she wanted to. Her stomach was cramping up from laughing a little too hard at Ralph's joke. Surrounded by her friends, she found herself content and welcomed it without allowing invasive thoughts of the years before. She sat on the floor, leaning against Heather, along with all the other young adults of the compound. They formed a circle and just enjoyed their time together before they had to return to their usual responsibilities and guard posts. They ate, shared drinks and jokes, and even sang slightly out of tune songs that they made up.

Meanwhile, the older members of the compound had dispersed from the adolescents to talk amongst themselves, take care of the younger children, or take up guard duty while the teens had the night off. In a dimly lit corner of the room, Joel, Tommy, Maria, and other friends sat talking casually about the tasks still left to do before the week was over while drinking. Joel sat quietly for the most part, just staring off into nothing, occasionally making short comments or nodding lightly. Tommy noticed his big brother's distant behavior, but after asking if he was feeling OK for the fifth time and receiving only a curt "yea" and a dismissing wave of his hand, he decided to stop pestering him.

Eventually, they started talking about the progress of the small town throughout the years, which led to the topic about the birthday girl.

"Look at her. Seems like not too long ago you guys showed up outside these walls…"

Joel slowly lifted his head to look towards the group of teens still laughing and yelling much too loud for his taste. He immediately spotted the auburn haired girl. She really did look happy. Joel leaned his head back and inhaled lightly before a harsh cough escaped him. Tommy instantly laid a hand on his brother's back, but before he could utter a word, was dismissed with a "I'm fine."

"You sure? You don't sound fine-"

"Tommy, I-"_ cough! _"I'm fine, just a damn cold probably."

The rest of the table looked at Joel with concern, but continued their conversation. After a moment of normalcy, Joel finally stood up.

"'Night everyone, I'll see you tomorrow."

The table replied and watched him leave.

The night was moving along, and there was still so much time left to celebrate. Ellie had been quiet for a while now, and Heather finally was able to get her attention with a rough nudge.

"What's up? You've been really quiet, Ellie."

"Oh, I'm fine." She smiled to show her friend that she really was OK. Unconvinced, the blonde raised an eyebrow. "Really? 'Cause you've been, like, really, REALLY quiet. And you wouldn't shut up like 2 minutes ago."

Ellie, lost in her thoughts again, began to stand. "I'll be right back, I want to check on the others for a minute, ok?"

"Whatever you want, birthday girl!"

Ellie began to make her way around the circle of friends, smiling at every cheer and birthday wish they hollered at her as she walked towards Tommy's table.

"Hey Tommy."

"Hey Ellie! Havin' a good time?"

"Yea, it's great!"

"So what do you need? Or did you just wanna give us old folks some company?"

"Actually, I was wondering where Joel went?"

"Oh, he went back home, I think the old man couldn't handle your hollerin' and singin'."

But Ellie saw right through him. Something felt… wrong? No, just…off, somehow.

She quickly dismissed herself and began to make her way across the compound towards the houses. When she reached the two story cabin, she opened the door and stepped inside. Shutting the door behind her, she realized all the lights on the first floor were on. _Weird._ _Joel would've turned these off…_ "Joel?" No response.

She called out to him a few more times, but with no avail. After making sure he wasn't on the first floor, she walked towards the stairs. Climbing up, she realized the lights up there were all off, save for a small glow from his bedroom. She reached his door, which was slightly open, and knocked twice before walking in.

Joel's room was nothing special, in fact, it was very empty. A few boxes and supplies were lying around, and the light to his bathroom was on. His window was shut, curtain's drawn, and the small lamp Ellie had found for him when they moved in, which was now sitting on a rickety nightstand next to his bed, lit a small area of the room. And there lay Joel, who had become instantly alert when Ellie stepped in. It seemed to have taken him a few seconds, but he finally relaxed back into the mattress.

The young woman closed the door. Walking over to the end of the bed, she plopped down on the mattress pulling her feet up to criss cross under her. She leaned her arms against her knees and cocked her head to the side, looking over her friend's silent form. His eyes were gently shut, brows furrowed, a small frown on his face. A thin sheet covered him up to his chest. After a few seconds of silence, Joel slowly opened his eyes and looked at Ellie. He inhaled and began to sit up, although not without a bit of struggle Ellie noticed, and finally settled himself against the headboard. He hadn't spoken a word. It wasn't anything to worry over, not really... he had been quiet for the last couple of weeks, more quiet than usual. Today didn't _seem_ any different, but Ellie had a feeling something was off.

She moved so that she could lay on her side, hand supporting her head. "What's wrong, Joel?"

His dark eyes seemed to have focused all of a sudden, and locked on hers. "...What do you mean?"

She half shrugged, "I don't know, I mean, you're acting...different, I guess..."

"Different?"

"Yea, like, I don't see you around as much, you just kind of hang around here at home or in the backyard, and when you _do_ go outside, you don't talk to anyone unless they ask you a question. We haven't even played guitar for a couple of weeks now..."

Joel wouldn't look at her now and began to absentmindedly fidget with the sheets on his lap.

Ellie raised an eyebrow and shot up to her knees leaning over towards Joel and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Are you ok? Are you sick?"

He only looks up at her and holds out his hand. Confused, but without a second thought, she lets him hold her hand. He closes his eyes and they stay there for a minute, until his eyes open once more, only this time, they were wet. Ellie's eyes widen and she jumps off the bed and runs around it to his side, feeling his face one more time and looking him over hastily. He gently pulls her hand away from him and lets them drop to her side. Shaking his head, the corners of his lips pull up in a small and very "Joel-like" smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes.

"Joel! What the fuck?! You're freaking me out with all this quiet shit! What is wro-"

"I miss her."

It was a low, nearly unintelligible mumble. Her brows furrow and she only stares at him. "Wha- what? What are you talking about?! Who do you mi-" Realization struck Ellie like a brick against her chest. She couldn't look at him. Focusing her attention on the wood floor, she turned around and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch his legs. She continued to look down when he began to speak again.

"I still miss her-" His voice sounded strained. "...twenty-eight years, and she's still in my dreams and nightmares." Ellie stole a quick glance, but he wasn't looking at her, instead he was watching his hands as they meddled with the sheets again.

His voice was low and comforting, but his words caused otherwise. "I never got to see her grow up. I never got to teach her to drive, or threaten any boys." (_Lucky boys _Ellie thought, but quickly came back to focus on Joel.) "...I missed a lot..."

Her eyes began to sting, she couldn't help it. She knew it still hurt him knowing his daughter is gone... She was at a loss for words, what was she supposed to say? "You have to move on?" "Thing's happen?" She understood that feeling of loss, perhaps not the same as Joel, but she still knows that sinking feeling when you have those sudden moments of realization that the people you loved are gone forever. Ellie knew his hurt, he had started to open up to her, slowly at first, and then more frequently, until it was almost normal for Sarah to appear in one of their everyday conversations.

Familiar, calloused hands reach for her own. She doesn't look up until he gives a gentle tug. His eyes were soft and sad, she couldn't look away...

"She was, and always will be, my daughter, and I'll always miss her. I know she's gone, but accepting that fact doesn't mean I'm cured..." He paused and looked down at their joined hands. "For a _long_ time... I thought I would _never_ be ok. Then I met Tess-" His voice faltered a bit at her name, "...and everything was alright for a while." Another pause; he coughs once. "Then you came along-"

Ellie could feel the guilt rising in her chest. After all, if it wasn't for this "package", Tess would still be alive. She understand that Joel truly does care for her, and that it wasn't her fault that Tess got bit, she knew he didn't blame her for it, at least not anymore. But Ellie still felt some sort of responsibility for what happened, and worse, that her friend couldn't gain without taking a heavy loss. She let her eyes fall towards the floor once more, unable to look at Joel, and tries to shake her hand free from his now stern grip. She uses the other to wipe a few stray tears from her face when Joel speaks up.

"And you did the trick. Ellie, you pulled me out from a real dark place and into some place better. You gave me something to fight for, to keep going... and now look at us." She had stopped struggling and he tugged at her hand again. "You're my best friend, my baby girl."

Ellie's tears fell silently now, and Joel pulls her in to hold her in a fatherly embrace. "C'mere. We've been through hell and back together, and I just... I just don't think I ever said thank you, I guess."

After a few minutes, Ellie collects herself and sits up next to Joel so that their shoulders touch. "I'm sorry, Ellie, it's just, you're really grown up now, and it just kind of hit me, you know? I didn't mean to make you cry, especially on your birthday-" _Cough._

He leans his head back and glances at her next to him. Her eyes were slightly red and she looked exhausted. They sat in silence for a few more minutes, with the occasional cough from Joel. Then, he took a deep breath, gave her a small smile and patted her knee. "Better?" She nods. "Alright then, I'm done ruining your birthday. Why don't you go ahead and open up the closet?"

Ellie looked at him with confusion. He gestured towards the other side of the room with raised brows and a wave of his hand. "Well, go on now!". Curiously she climbed off the bed and headed towards the bifold doors and opened them. Inside was a black plastic case. She pulls it out and lays it on the bed. The shape of it gave away what it was holding on the inside, but Ellie still gasped when she saw the guitar. It was in damn near perfect condition, barely a scratch on it! It had a two-tone burst on the body, as well as a strap attached to it.

"Whoa...," Ellie breathed out, a smile appearing on her face. Joel grinned, "Tommy, Greg, and I found it on a trip a few weeks ago. We cleaned it up a bit and I went ahead and tuned it for you. We even found some more strings just in case you rock out too much." They both chuckled softly as Ellie ran her fingers across the body of the instrument and mumbled a thanks.

"Go on back to your friends, Ellie, they're probably wonderin' where you ran off to." She continues standing in front of his gift, looking at him with genuine gratitude, and Joel smiles back before gesturing towards the door with a wave of his arm, "Well don't keep 'em waitin'!"

She closes the case and carries it over to the door, walks out, and shuts it behind her. Joel takes a deep breath and leans his head back, closing his eyes. He can hear her slow, heavy steps grow faint as she makes her way downstairs. There was a moment of complete silence, until the fast thudding of steps interrupted it, growing louder as it neared his room. Ellie burst through the door (devoid of a guitar case), and threw herself onto Joel, eliciting a surprised grunt from the man. He quickly moves to return the embrace, a faint, deep chuckle escaping him. Ellie began to speak, muffled by his shirt, "Thank you Joel. For everything. You're my best friend too."

Joel closes his eyes and lays a kiss on the top of her head. She pulls away and returns the gesture.

"Ok now go, party or whatever you kids do, just... don't get crazy alright? Have fun baby girl."

After she leaves, Joel is left in his room. He is calm, now that he's talked to her. He sinks lower into the bed, and relaxes, until he is interrupted by a series of coughs. Sharp pain ripples through his chest and throat, and all of a sudden it's gone.

Joel opens his eyes slightly when he feels something holding his hand. He turns his head, slowly, and he smiles weakly.

_"Hey, baby girl...I've missed you..."_

END NOTE: I know that 52 is a pretty young age to die from a weird cough, but my idea was some sort of illness that he developed from diving into the nasty waters, sleeping in dirty areas, eating food that may or may not have had some sort of bacteria, airborne stuff that may have developed from all the cordyceps, etc. Chances are that the apocalypse had some long term effects on the environment, and thereby, long term side effects on humans that may not be as obvious or as extreme as turning into a clicker. I'm not crazy about how this turned out, so I would _really_ appreciate some feedback and reviews. :3


End file.
